The statice is a mainstay both as a fresh flower and an everlasting. There are a number of newer varieties of statice. This is grown as an annual in the cutting garden.


Statice

The Senuet Series includes one with lovely violet blossoms. The Senuit Pink has pale contrasting centers. The sturdy stems produce a large number of stems for harvest over a long period.

The Sensy statice series includes a rich array of soft pastels with tinges of contrasting colors. The small, delicate blossoms are especially elegant looking. Sensy Dark Pink has two-toned white and pink flowers with yellow centers. Sensy Lemoncello is a bicolor with frilly white outer petals surrounding the medium yellow inner petals. The fresh stems of statice are used as a filler flower. They’re also dried as an everlasting. Harvest statice stems when the individual blossoms are open and exhibiting good color.

Statice needs full sun. They prefer a fertile, well drained soil. These series are available as plants at garden centers and the usual sources.


Stock

Johnny’s is offering Quartet Formula Mix stock. A very early flowering variety, this has stems that are ready in about 3 ½ months from the time the seeds are planted. The mix combines six or more colors, including white, pastel yellow, salmon, pink, red, and blue. The thick, sturdy stems are branched, and reaching two feet in height. They’re ready to harvest when about a third of the buds are open.

You can start these seeds indoors about two to 2½ months before the last expected frost. They germinate best when the temperature is 65 degrees Fahrenheit or so. The seeds will sprout in about one to two weeks. These can be direct sown where they are to grow in the cutting garden.

The Katz series is a new addition to the stocks. These sweetly scented flowers open a week or more earlier than most stocks. The Katz series will tolerate higher temperatures than most other kinds of stock. The stems of the Katz series have a long vase life for stock—over a week. The series includes four flower colors. These include white, light pink, light lavender, and cherry blossom.

Stock blossoms are used as a medium line flower and to provide mass. The plants need full sun with a relatively fertile soil in a sunny spot.